Mike Soutar

Mike Soutar "is IPC's Editorial Director. He is responsible for leading the development, research and launch of all new magazines. He has been a board director at IPC since July 2000, when he joined the company as MD of its men's lifestyle and music division, ignite!. Mike cut his teeth as Editor on the UK's market leading pop music title Smash Hits, which he edited for four years from 1990. In 1994, he became Editor of FHM, a little-known men's lifestyle magazine which trailed the rest of the market with monthly sales of under 50,000. In his three years in charge, the magazine grew to sales of over 500,000, making it the biggest selling monthly magazine - of any kind - in the UK. FHM is now published in 21 countries worldwide. In 1997, Mike swapped mediums to become Managing Director of London's market-leading youth radio station, Kiss 100. He also worked as Creative Director for Emap Radio. Before joining IPC, Mike was Editor-in-Chief of Maxim in the US, presiding over a period of dramatic circulation growth as the title doubled from sales of one million to over two million between 1999-2000, making it the best selling men's magazine in the world. Mike has won Magazine of the Year awards on both sides of the Atlantic."

• Trustee, Comic Relief